[MyAppleMenu] Apr 23, 2008

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple's Mac Strength Could Keep Tech Industry On A Roll <http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9926068-37.html>
by Tom Krazit, CNET News.com
Recession fears, rampant iPHone unlocking, and a pessimistic outlook dinged Apple at the beginning of this year, but surging Mac shipments appeared to have the company in good shape as it closed out the quarter.

**** Text Expander Releases Version 2.1 <http://www.macsparky.com/2008/04/22/text-expander-releases-version-21/>
by MacSparky

**** Navigating The 3G iPhone Through The FCC <http://www.maclife.com/article/the_fcc_and_the_iphone>
by Michael Simon, MacLife
If Apple can simply incorporate the rumored Infineon chip into the existing handset &mdash; that is, if the current model has sufficient capabilities for 3G expansion without the need to modify any of the other components &mdash; Apple need only submit a "change in identification of (presently certified) equipment" form and pay a $60 fee. The process is significantly shorter than full approval, and Apple wouldn't need nearly as large of a window for filing.

**** Apple Buys Chip Designer <http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/04/23/apple-buys-pasemi-tech-ebiz-cz_eb_0422apple.html>
by Erika Brown, Elizabeth Corcoran and Brian Caulfield, Forbes
Late Tuesday, in response to questions from Forbes.com, an Apple spokesman said Apple has agreed to buy a boutique microprocessor design company called PA Semi. The company, which is known for its design of sophisticated, low-power chips, could spell a new future for Apple's flagship iPhone, and possibly iPod products as well.
Apple's choice is a blow for chip maker Intel, which has been trying to convince Apple to rely on Intel's chip&mdash;particularly its latest low-power line up, called Atom.
/A case of not putting all eggs in one basket by Apple?/
See Also:
A Quake In The iPhone Supply Chain: Apple Buys Chip Maker PA Semi <http://venturebeat.com/2008/04/22/a-quake-in-the-iphone-supply-chain-apple-buys-chip-maker-pa-semi/>, by Dean Takahashi, VentureBeat. I suppose this is only fair, since Apple ruined PA Semi's original business plan. Founded by Dan Dobberpuhl in 2003, PA Semi started out designing PowerPC microprocessors for Apple's low-power laptops. Then Apple threw a monkey wrench in that plan and switched to Intel.

**** Penumbra: Black Plague Game Released <http://www.macworld.com/article/133116/2008/04/plague.html>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld

**** ProShutdown 1.1 And MailCM 1.0.4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/133121/2008/04/proshutdownmailcm.html>
by Dan Frakes, Macworld

**** Is Apple Innovative Or Just Adaptive? <http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2008/04/is_apple_innova.html>
by Bruce Nussbaum, BusinessWeek
Apple is now in a second, more sophisticated and impactful stage of generating platform innovation.

**** Apple's Secret Life <http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/22/apple-earnings-iphone-tech-ebiz-cx_bc_0422apple.html>
by Brian Caulfield, Forbes
Despite Oppenheimer's iron discipline, in the Sarbanes-Oxley era it's almost impossible not to drop some broad hints when big changes are coming.

**** Apple Services Keep Apps Fresh <http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Macintosh/Apple-Services-Keep-Apps-Fresh/>
by Andew Garcia, eWeek
Apple is slwoing introducing client and server software elements that wrangle together all the disparate Apple hardware and software installed across the network by giving administrators control over what applications and patches are presented to users for installation.

**** Today Utilizes Leopard's Calendar Store To Manage Tasks <http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/04/22/today-utilizes-leopards-calendar-store-to-manage-tasks>
by Chris Foresman, Ars Technica

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Microsoft: Web At The Center, Not PC <http://www.news.com/8301-13860_3-9926473-56.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Ina Fried, CNET News.com
For years, Microsoft has maintained that the PC is the center of the digital home and office. But chief software architecture Ray Ozzie said Tuesday that it's time for the company to ackowledge a new reality.

**** Microsoft Links Data On Phones, PCs In "Live Mesh" <http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssTechMediaTelecomNews/idUSN2235958920080423>
by Daisuke Wakabayashi, Reuters
Microsoft Corp has begun testing technology that brings together a person's pictures, documents and other data scattered across a growing number of machines with the goal of allowing people to access their information from anywhere and at any time.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Animated Bambi Debate Arouses Pastoral Passions <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/books/23bambi.html?_r=1&ex=1366689600&en=5639a53c2b16994e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin>
by Patricia Cohen, New York Times
Just how much of a friend Disney has been to woodland folk (and their kin in the sea and the jungle) has long been batted about by scholars and writers.

**** Literary Fiction Gets Kinky <http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-abrams23apr23,0,7571251.story?track=rss>
by Swati Pandey, Los Angeles Times
Part erotica, part chick or mommy lit, part memoir-mimicking confession of childhood sexuality and trauma, "Playing" may be the perfect storm of marketable genres, written by a woman with literary-fiction ambitions.

**** You Walk Wrong <http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/>
by Adam Sternbergh, New York Magazine
It took 4 million years of evolution to perfect the human foot. But we're wrecking it with every step we take.

**** I'm Happy When It's Crunch Time <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/22/AR2008042200767.html?nav=rss_artsandliving/foodanddining>
by Jane Black, Washington Post
Let's get one thing clear. I am not one of those salad girls. You know that girl. The one who picks at lettuce leaves while the guys dig into their steaks. The one who skips dessert or will "have one little bite." I am not her.
I say that because I feel a little defensive about salads.

SingaporeSurf
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**** Singapore Netizens Express Opinions On Report Of Mas Selamat's Escape <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/343212/1/.html>
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
The strongest comments were reserved for the issue of accountability. Despite prime minister Lee Hsien Loong's detailed explanation of his position and the need to draw lines, the commetns went beyond the issue of resignation.
Many saw the need for some sort of penalty for the senior officials who had oversight responsibilities, over and above the officers who were directly responsible.

**** Government Web-Wary In Singapore <http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JD24Ae01.html>
by Alex Au, Asia Times
It remains unclear what precise changes might be in the cards, but that Lee's highly centralized and controlling government's rendition of news and events is openly being challenged by the digital revolution is clear for all web surfers to see.

**** The Mas Selamat Scandal: Its Impact On The Government-People Relationship <http://catherinelim.sg/2008/04/23/the-mas-selamat-scandal-its-impact-on-the-government-people-relationship/>
by Catherine Lim
A serious disconnect between the government and the peple has arisen: while the government is still operating from the old perceptual paradigm carried over from a simpler, more innocent era, the people are developing a new one in keeping with the times. They are increasingly aware of new expectations and needs in their roles as citizens in a democratic society, and will no longer respond uncritically to the government's usual exhortations of 'Turst us', 'Also trust those we have picked to work for us,' 'Don't forget what we have achieved,' 'Look at things in perspective', 'Let's move on to more important, bread-and-butter matters,' etc.

**** Singapore's Most-Wanted Still At Large Two Months After Escape <http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hiFgJxvaaEsY2qIH1waGOXCtPL_Q>
by AFP
Two months after an alleged Islamic militant leader escaped from custody, Singapore is the object of ridicule and admits the country's reputation has been dmaaged by its failure to capture him.
Terrorism expert Clive WIlliams suspected Kastari is somewhere in the vast archipelago of Indonesia, whose nearest islands are clearly visible from Singaore. Williams, from the Australian Defence Force Academy,s aid that for Singapore to maintain Kastari is still in country only adds to the embarrassment.

**** Ferry-Tale Solution To Singapore's Land Transport Issues? <http://wildfilms.blogspot.com/2008/04/ferry-tale-solution-to-singapores-land.html>
by Wildfilms
The author clearly doesn't really have a sound grasp of the current situatio along our coast and the realities of our island geography.

**** Show Us Ministerial Responsibility <http://yawshinleong.blogspot.com/2008/04/show-us-ministerial-responsibility.html>
by Yaw Shin Leong
It is certainly a wake up call for Singaporeans to steer our country towards the direction of democratic normalcy where political hegemony is absent and where no single party is in a position to compromise the healthy entrenchment of check &amp; balances mechanisms.

**** ISD: Unintelligent Intelligence Unintelligible <http://thinkingbetterthinkingmeta.blogspot.com/2008/04/isd-unintelligent-intelligence.html>
by Sam's Thoughts
When it comes to taking credit, the top of the chain-of-command often gets the largest slice of the pie. When it comes to taking blame and responsibility for a mistake, there is great reluctance and the chain-of-command breaks off. I guess accountability is all about getting the lower ranked pawns to take the fall, take one for the team.

**** Government's Lack Of Accountability Bad For The PAP, Worse For Singapore <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2008/04/23/toc-editorial-government%E2%80%99s-lack-of-accountability-bad-for-the-pap-worse-for-singapore/>
by theonlinecitizen

**** Singapore's March Inflation Rate Up 6.7% On Year <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/343141/1/.html>
by Channel NewsAsia
Singaproe's consumer price index (CPI) in March went up by 6.7 percent from a year ago.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI in March was 0.3% higher compared with February.
See Also:
Singapore Consumer Price Index, March 2008 <http://www.singstat.gov.sg/news/news/cpimar2008.pdf>, by Department of Statistics, Singapore Government.

**** The Era Of Cheap Food Is Over: ADB <http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/global%20markets/2008/04/23/153268/The-era.htm>
by AFP

**** Singapore Overfishing??? <http://eyhtekoyauhccela.blogspot.com/2008/04/singapore-overfishing.html>
by Anyone Can Run

**** Should Wong Kan Seng Be Sacked? Tough Question. <http://aaron-ng.info/blog/should-wong-kan-seng-be-sacked-tough-question.html>
by Aaron Ng, Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
I personally would like to see something more substantial than an apology, although resignation is not necessary. Maybe a big pay cut? Or maybe a demotion to minister of state?

**** Cronyism At Best <http://udders.blogspot.com/2008/04/cronyism-at-best.html>
by I Have Succumbed To Peer Pressure
So the lesson to be learnt, ladies and gentlemen, is that in Singapore, it always pays to be friends with the people at the top.

**** Neverrmind The Kudos, But Will You Face The Music On Your Own? <http://blueheeler.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/nevermind-the-kudos-but-will-you-face-the-music-on-your-own/>
by BothSidesOfTheJohorStraits
Take a long hard look at your next 6-figure paycheck and think who pays that to you, and what kind of responsibilities come with that kind of amount...

**** Really Mr Lee? Are We Not Seeing Double Standards Here? <http://www.aaronpeng.org/?p=1167>
by Aaron Peng
One set for high ranking officers and ministers, and another for the rest.

**** Sweeping Powers For Minister To Tackle Public Health Emergency <http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_230052.html>
by Salma Khalik, Straits Times
The health minister is to get sweeping powers that include the authority to shut down shopping centres, commandeer the use of private hospitals, and arrest suspects without a warrant.

**** Tired Of Jammed Roads? Go To Work By Sea Instead <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_230121.html>
by Clinton Lim Eng Hiong, Straits Times
Why not explore the idea of ferrying thousands to and from work daily via a Park 'n' Cruise scheme, to supplement the existing rail and road transport system?

**** Adding A Foreign Flavour To Singapore Schools (Part 1) <http://www.schoolbag.sg/archives/2008/04/adding_a_foreign_flavour_to_si.php>
by Schoolbag

**** Spot The Irony <http://nevinyrral.blogsome.com/2008/04/22/spot-the-irony/>
by Dominatio Per Malum
Executive summary of events: Blame /them/ (low level peons) not /us/.

**** Er... A Highlight In Parliament (Mr Low Thia Khiang Self-pwned?)? <http://blog.simplyjean.com/2008/04/23/er-a-highlight-in-parliament-mr-low-thia-khiang-self-pwned/>
by Simply Jean
It's like... duh...

**** Exclusivity Of Cab Services May Lead To Social Issues <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/249832.asp>
by Lai Yew Chan, Today

**** Malaysia-Singapore Bullet Train Dead In Its Tracks <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/249858.asp>
by Today
The Malaysian government has put the brakes on the RM10-billion bullet train project to Singapore, reported /The Malaysian Insider/.
See Also:
KL-Singapore Bullet Train Derailed By High Cost <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/22/nation/20080422213928&sec=nation>, by The Star.

**** Reward And Punish As Private Sector Does <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/249854.asp>
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
With cabinet ministers' salaries pegged to that of the private sector, shouldn't they likewise be held to the same standards of accountability?

**** Arresting Health Threats <http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/187719.html>
by Mollymeek

**** Protecting Their Own Kind <http://singaporepatriot.blogspot.com/2008/04/protecting-their-own-kind.html>
by Gerald Giam, SIngapore Patriot
Most Singaproeans with half a brain will know it is less about being different from other cuontries, but more about protecting their own kind - the tight-knit network of elites who run this country.

**** Not Taking Heat, So Take Heed <http://melvintansg.blogspot.com/2008/04/not-taking-heat-so-take-heed.html>
by Melvin Tan, A Sampan On Singapore Soil
It is perhaps time for interested citizens to consider changing the call to: Minister Wong should take a pay cut.
Like, a big pay cut.

**** Politics, Gladiator, Praetorians And A Missing Fugitive <http://xenoboysg.blogspot.com/2008/04/while-many-viewers-were-enthralled-by.html>
by A Xeno Boy In Sg
Rather than exploiting the interstices of this ISD cock-up, the opposition wastes the political opportunity pursuing dead hypotheses or demanding accountability knowing that accountability will always be provided for that group of conservative stoic Singaporeans who are the electoral bedrock of the regime's survival.